Bearcat baseball loses series opener at UC-Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - In an offensive slugfest, the Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell short against the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in game one of a three-game set, 11-8. 
Between the two ball clubs, a combined five home runs were launched during Friday’s action.
After forcing the Bearcats to go three-up, three-down in the top of the first, the Mountain Lions went to work scoring three runs, including two long balls, and taking an early 3-0 advantage.
Following a scoreless second by both squads, the Northwest offense got on the scoreboard when redshirt freshman Caden Diel launched a homer to deep right-center.
UCCS answered with a single run in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth to take a commanding 6-1 lead over Northwest.
Taking an inning to collect themselves, the Bearcats tallied a monstrous six-run sixth and clawed the lead away from the Mountain Lions. With one out and two men on, junior Jacob Pinkerton began the scoring rally by crossing home plate on a wild pitch. Next, with the bases loaded, Diel drew a walk, plating senior infielder Calvin Rudolph from third. After the second out of the inning was notched and the bases still loaded, sophomore outfielder Ryan Koski stepped up to the plate and connected with a grand slam to left field scoring Diel, sophomore outfielder Jordan Peck and senior first baseman Connor Quick.
The explosive Mountain Lion offense scrounged up two more runs in the bottom of seventh, including another solo shot to left field. Colorado Springs retook the lead heading into the final two innings of play in game one, 8-7.With two outs in the eighth, junior infielder Peter Carlson scored from second on a fielding error to even the matchup at 8-8.
Following a pitching change that brought sophomore Alex Slocum in for junior Aaron Duncan to begin the home half of the eighth inning, Colorado Springs plated a trio of runs The Mountain Lions used a double and a triple, to tack on the three runs to the scoreboard and take a commanding 11-8 lead. Northwest could not score in the ninth.
On the mound, junior Max Spitzmiller got the start for the ‘Cats, dealing four innings. Spitzmiller allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits. Junior Johnathan McIntyre, Duncan and Slocum also made appearances. Slocum (2-1) dropped his first game of the 2020 season.
Due to inclement forecasted weather on Sunday, Saturday’s action will include a doubleheader with the first game scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. and game two at approximately 3 p.m.
NOTES: Quick extended his team-high 12-game on-base streak...Koski(4) and Diel (2) notched multiple RBI outings…Six Bearcat batters tallied hits (Pinkerton, Rudolph, Quick, Diel, Donovan Warren, Koski) ... the Bearcats have dropped five in a row after starting the season with five wins in seven games.
--- Northwest Athletics ---